“When we got horizontal, it was the other way around,” he said.“We’ll see how you do taking control next time.”
“There won’t be a next time,” she said, smoothing her flyaways with a straightening iron.“You only got so far because you took me by surprise.I was being polite.”
“I have no problem scratching your itch anytime, Babycakes.This friendship needs an incentive.Keep those benefits coming.So long as you don’t go getting ideas, we’re good.”
“Ideas?”she asked, trying to quell her outrage.“Of what exactly?Decency?Trust?Loyalty?”
“I’m all of the above, Radley, and then some.Free love and equal rights, whatever.Just know I won’t be putting a ring on it.”
“Mm hmm, and why exactly would I want a ring from you?”
“You’re a woman,” he said.“Your life’s purpose is to find a guy to take care of you.”
Scowling into the mirror, she kept straightening her hair.“It’s a good thing you’re rich.No woman would put up with you if you didn’t provide her with a gold card.She’d need it to whisk herself away to some tropical paradise.Alone.Away from you at a second’s notice.”
“Do you know how many women have tried to tie me down?Pick a number.Doesn’t matter what they start out saying, it always ends the same.”
“That’s the beauty of friendship, Xavien,” she said, wearing a sarcastic smile.“It keeps going long after the love has faded.I’m not one of those women you pick up in a bar or pass little notes to after gym, I’m your friend.Yourbestfriend.So there can be kissing and sex talk and flirtation, whatever, you’re still going to pick up the phone the next day and talk to me.It’s in the contract.”
“We have a contract?”
She put the straightening iron on its heat mat and looked her reflection in the eye.“Yes, you changed this, Mr.Rourke, your choice.You made this real world.You found me; you’re stuck with me.Isn’t this what you wanted?”
“I just wanted to know if you were as hot in person as your voice suggested.”
“Disappointed?”
“That I didn’t cop a feel when I had a chance?Yeah, now that you mention it, I am.”
Again, she frowned.“Your hand was up my skirt.”
“Yeah, but the real potential’s in the bra.”
“You know, it doesn’t surprise me you’re a breast man,” she said, returning to her hair.Today’s style was poker straight.“Somehow you seem like the grab and grope type.”
“So this contract between us…” he said, gliding right on by the accusation.“If it feels good, we do it—”
“Your clause, but what about it?”
“Yours seems to be, find reason to bitch at him as often as possible.”
“No, mine is: friendship is real and permanent, whether you like it or not.”
“Good call,” he said.“You want to come upstairs?”
“I have a meeting with your Leon, whoever he is, downstairs in a few minutes.”
“I can tell him to be late.”
The smooth transition from asshole to seductor came in the tone of his voice.It went from provocation to soft as bassy silk in a heartbeat.
“Tempting,” she said without sincerity.“I think I’ll leap into the fire.”
“Rather than fan the flames with me?”
“It’s a wonder you ever got a woman to go out with you, Hotshot.”
His brief laugh tickled her.“Leon is a cool customer.He’s levelheaded, no nonsense, a guy who gets things done.”
